


Stress Baker

by Galaxias_Group



Series: Nightlong Dreamers [1]
Category: Nightlong Dreamers, Original Work
Genre: Baking, Gen, Performing Arts, Stress Baking, someone save Ava from herself
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:47:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24661033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Galaxias_Group/pseuds/Galaxias_Group
Summary: "Maybe I should bake one more batch of these, you never know when’s enough- ”“Maybe not,” more sounds of crunching ensued behind, “you baked, like, 5 trays already.”A click of the timer, the sound of the oven sizzling away with the fake, overly-cheery voice, and then...a sigh.“It’s just… I might just be overthinking, yet again, but I really do want to work with her, you know? I was in awe when I saw her live performance, and I still can’t believe that an idol like that attends our school."
Series: Nightlong Dreamers [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2145366





	Stress Baker

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys, this is the first story we had written for the group and it was super exciting to read these characters finally come alive!
> 
> We have a cover to go with this! You can watch it on youtube here, but I'd suggest waiting till after the story, just in case - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X84a5uFzdjA
> 
> Please take note:  
> This story takes place during Ava's 3rd year at highschool

**Stressbaker**  
| noun.  
Someone who bakes to relieve stress

Dim lamp lights. Chill jazz music streaming in the background. The congenial smell of freshly baked cookies dissipating across the house as the still, peaceful night wavered with the moon-

“And I’m totally going to convince her!!”

Or, it was peaceful at first anyways. 

A normal sleepover turned into an all-night bake session as Ava slammed yet another batch of cookie dough onto a metal tray. Behind the counter sat a light green, pink-edge haired girl with a face of pure tiredness, the summation of “can-we-sleep-already”, as she stacked up yet another tower of chocolate chip cookies on a plate.

“Ava-” Aster started to speak, but ended up sighing as her hands reached out for a cookie, and started munching. “I think you’re just overthinking it, really. Cynthia is just as normal as we are, and I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if you just talk to her about it, without-”

“Yeah, yeah- but!!” Ava interrupted (with a squeak at the side as she nearly dropped the tray of unbaked doughs), “What if she says otherwise? Or maybe get unnerved at me for any reason? Oh, goodness, maybe I should bake one more batch of these, you never know when’s enough- ”

“Maybe not,” more sounds of crunching ensued behind, “you baked, like, 5 trays already.”

A click of the timer, the sound of the oven sizzling away with the fake, overly-cheery voice, and then...a sigh. 

Blue eyes seemed to sink into a pool of worry, perhaps of doubt, as they glazed over the reflection in the oven mirror of the bright, red light baking away the dough- of herself, for better or for worse. She stared, focusing on her lips as she opened them, but all that came out of her mouth was another sigh that echoed along the quiet ambience.

“It’s just… I might just be overthinking, yet again, but I really do want to work with her, you know? I was in awe when I saw her live performance, and I still can’t believe that an idol like that attends our school. Such charm, such charisma, with a voice to enamour the audience like that… Really, I can’t compare. Especially with my voice.”

The loud chirping of the crickets seemed to be nothing against the thick tension in the air that followed. 

Aster glanced up from her cookies, but didn’t say anything for a while. Really, why did Ava always come to her for advice? Even though they both knew she sucked at basic human interaction, never mind counselling? It wasn’t like she didn’t want the best for her best friend; however, Aster barely helped out with their online streams, so why should-

...Online?

“A suggestion.” Ava jumped a bit from the sudden noise, and turned around to face Aster who now wore a grin. “There’s this group performance I recently found about online.”

“...And?”

“Why don’t you invite her for that performance? It’s a small competition too, and I heard Cynthia loves that sort of stuff, so if she’s going to say yes to anything it would be that! And let we just let fate lay out the rest of the road.”

There was a sniff as she furrowed her brows in deep thought and then, with a slight quiver on her voice Ava said, “You think so?”

“Yeah.”

“Really?”

“Really.” Aster almost groaned out her exasperation. “An you can ask me for help with anything you need.”

“...Anything?”

\---

-Which, as Aster thought of it now, didn’t quite mean she was going to join the damned performance itself, but here they were. Here they were.

The girl munched on another heart-shaped strawberry chocolate as she neatened out the hair around the rim of the hat. Ava was still talking to herself ferociously in the background, 

“Yeah, we’re gonna do just great, everyone is in tip-top condition- oh, maybe I should drink one more cup of water, can’t go dehydrated; should get more bottles for the others, just in case as well-”

Aster couldn’t help but sigh and, less admittedly, smile on the edges as she looked at her best friend’s fretting in fondness.

“Such energy, huh?”

Pink eyes glanced at the side as the strawberry-blonde girl spoke up, her hands busy adjusting the mic position into perfection. 

“It’s her way of stress-relief, I suppose. Stamp away the worry with over-optimism, or something like that.”

“Strange, but hey, we all need some encouragement from time to time, no?”

“I suppose so, yeah.”

Cynthia casually sat down on Aster’s right and together, they looked at the panicking Ava as she chugged the whole water bottle in one go, and then began coughing immediately.

“I’m gonna admit,” Cynthia said, in a musing tone, “I enjoyed working in a group far more than I initially thought.”

“Yeah?”

“I’ve only done solo work, as you know and I kinda was worried at first that it wasn’t going to work out, but... you guys are pretty cool, I guess.”

The blonde seemed calmer than usual. Most times, Aster could never really tell what she was thinking, but at that moment Cynthia almost seemed... serene, in a way. As if she felt right at home. Perhaps she was, it'd be no surprise to find that Cynthia thought of the stage as a second home, afterall.

The pair found matching water bottles slotted into their hands as Ava fretted about their well being. Aster couldn't stop herself from smiling, and a glance to the side saw that Cynthia had a corner lip raised herself.

Despite the bright bedazzle and the slight prickle here and there, Cynthia was actually pretty okay to hang out with, Aster realized. Behind the seemingly “high-and-mighty” countenance was a soft personality that just liked the occasional approval and affection like any other person. Even if the practice sessions sometimes went out of control with Cynthia’s perfectionist attitude, it was actually alright working with her. Enjoyable, even.

And well, if Cynthia felt that way too, then that was all that mattered, right?

“Well!” Cynthia said as she stretched out her arms. She stood up and looked at Aster with a grin. “You ready for the show?”

“Kinda.”

A laugh followed, and Cynthia nudged at the girl playfully with her elbow. “What’s with that lame answer, huh? Be like Ava over there.”

“We totally got this; I totally got this- We’re gonna rock the stage, leave the audience in awe-”

“That’s a bit overboard, don’t you think?” 

With that, Cynthia seemed to guffaw even louder than before, and this time Aster couldn’t help but smile along as well. Ava, not really knowing what happened, stopped her blabbering and just gleamed at the sight of her friends happy. 

Together, they were a team.

Bright stage lights. Booming applause just in front of the red curtains. The smell of strawberry chocolate seemed almost like an afterthought as the girls looked at each other, held their hands together, and nodded.

The sheer radiance seemed to envelope them into their new future.

**Author's Note:**

> Author: AVZ - https://twitter.com/avz0816  
> Some light editing: alys - https://www.youtube.com/alystheunicorn
> 
> Yes, we have permission to post this from the author.


End file.
